Trolley-wheel fork



(No Model.)

S. B. THOMPSON.

TROLLEY WHEEL FORK.

Inventor.

Attorney.

Patented July 27 1897.

W itnesses.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

SAMUEL BILLING THOMPSON, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE AJAXMETAL COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

TROLLEY-WHEEL FORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 587,047, dated. July27, 1897.

Application filed December 2, 1896. Serial No. 614,170. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL BILLING THOMP- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city of Baltimore and State of Maryland, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Wheel Forks; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to trolley-wheel forks; and the object of myimprovement is-to make a cheap, light, and strong fork in which theelectrical contact is made without the use of additionalcontact-springs.

To accomplish the desired result, I construct the fork in the mannerhereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of myimproved fork with the wheel mounted therein. Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view of the wheel and fork.

A represents the end of the trolley-pole.

B is the base of the fork, fitting over the end of the pole and securedthereon by means of the rivet a.

O O are the two prongs of the fork, secured on the base B by means ofthe rivets a at. These two prongs are made of spring-steel and havethereon the bent-over portions 6 b, that press against the hub of thetrolley-wheel D'and form a wide contact therewith. are two cotter-pinsextending through the top of the bent-over portions of the prongs O Oand through the axle E, upon which the trolley-wheel revolves. I

The base B has vertical channels out therein, so as to form theshoulders of, against which the edges of the prongs O O impinge,

the outer surfaces of the prongs O 0 being flush with the said base.

The prongs G 0 being made of spring-steel and set so that the parts Z7Z7 will press against the hub of the wheel D a good and continuouscontact is made without the use of additional contact-springs.

To remove the fork from the pole, it is only necessary to cut the riveta, when the parts can be easily separated. If the prongs O C are to berenewed, all of the rivets a and ct are cut, when a new part may befitted to the base B. The shoulders a o in the base B securely hold theprongs O in the position shown and prevent any back or forward movement.

If desired, one of the prongs or supports 0 may be made perfectly rigid,but, the best results are obtained when both prongs are made withaslight spring, thus producing an equal pressure on each side of thetrolleywheel.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isp 1. A tro1ley-wheel fork having one of theprongs or supports for the axle formed of a fiat spring the upper end ofwhich presses against the hub of the trolley-wheel forming an electricalcontact therewith and its lower end rigidly secured to the base of thefork, substantially as shown.

2. A trolley-wheel fork composed of the base B, and spring-prongs O, 0,having the bent-over portions 1), b,that impinge against the hub of thetrolley-wheel, substantially as shown.

3. A trolley-wheel fork composed of the base B, having vertical channelstherein and the spring-prongs (J, O, fitting in said channels, saidprongs having the bent-over top portions 1), b, and provided with holesfor the reception of the cotter-pins c, c, all arranged substantially asshown.

4. In a trolley-wheel fork, the combination of the base B, havingtherein vertical ohannels on opposite sides, the prongs C, O, fittinginto the channels in the base and impinging against the shoulders a andprovided with the bent-over portions 19, b, the cotter-pins c, c,passing through the top of the prongs O, and axle E, substantially asshown.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two'witnesses.

SAMUEL BILLING THOMPSON.

Witnesses:

WM. D. WRIGHT, L. WM. RAHE.

